1. Field
One or more embodiments relate to an image processing apparatus and method that may render an object constituting a three-dimensional (3D) model based on a plurality of viewpoints to generate a stereoscopic image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, many people are increasingly interested in three-dimensional (3D) display devices and 3D images. For example, among 3D image generation schemes, a scheme of generating a stereoscopic image is receiving much attention.
Since a location of a left eye and a location of a right eye are different from each other, an observer may feel disparity between the views and thereby feel a different perspective with respect to an object.
The stereoscopic image generation scheme may realize a 3D display by providing two different images that are rendered at two different viewpoints with respect to the same 3D model. Here, one image may be provided for the left eye and the other image may be provided for the right eye.
A 3D rendering process indicates an image process to generate an image at a particular viewpoint based on information associated with a modeled virtual 3D object, and to provide the generated image. The 3D rendering process may be performed using, for example, a polygon-based rasterization scheme, a ray tracing scheme of tracking a ray progress path from a viewpoint to be rendered, etc.
Since the ray tracing scheme uses physical properties such as a reflection, a refraction, and a transmittance of light, the ray tracing scheme may generate a high quality image that is similar to a real picture. However, since a great amount of calculation is required, it is difficult to perform real-time rendering. In addition, the ray tracing scheme may need high performance hardware.
As described above, a high quality stereoscopic image may be generated using the ray tracing scheme of the 3D rendering process. However, to perform rendering at different viewpoints may require twice as many calculations as a number of calculations as when rendering is performed at a single viewpoint. Accordingly, there is a need for an image processing apparatus and method that may reduce a calculation amount when performing rendering at different viewpoints.